Ethicon, Gmbh

Thomas D Maurer

Robert Brown

John Wong

Robert J Baker

Walter McGregor

Michael J Brown, Deceased

A method and apparatus is available for receiving surgical needle stock from a needle fabrication line and welding the surgical needle stock to a metal tape. The apparatus includes a welding station where the needle stock is welded to the tape. A tape indexing unit is arranged to move the metal tape through the welding station. A preload chuck is arranged to receive the surgical needle stock from the needle fabrication line and a gripper assembly is arranged to receive the surgical needle stock from the preload chuck and transfer the surgical needle stock from the preload chuck to the welding station.

Method of and apparatus for welding surgical needle stock to a metal tape

A needle having three fluted edges, all of the same angular size. The needle presents a five sided cross-section at a tapered end. This results in easier tissue penetration, reduced cross-sectional needle area, better wound opening area performance, and minimized tissue distortion. In an alternate embodiment, the flat surface from which the taper is formed is on the inside of the needle so that the outer fluted edges are formed outside that configuration.

Surgical needle configuration with five-sided cross-section

A spatulated needle is provided wherein a six-sided cross-sectional portion results from a parallel or tapered pair of upper and lower surfaces connected by needle walls and a pair of fluted edges. At the tapered end of the needle, the upper surface alternates resulting in a five-sided cross-section. This improved configuration results in ease of tissue penetration, minimized tissue distortion, and minimized wound trauma. The resultant needle therefore is desirable for usage with refined surgery such as ophthalmology, microsurgery and plastic surgery.

Surgical needle configuration with spatula geometry

A needle having three fluted edges, all of the same angular size. The needle presents a five sided cross-section at a tapered end. This results in easier tissue penetration, reduced cross-sectional needle area, better wound opening area performance, and minimized tissue distortion.

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San Angelo, TX, United States of America

Thomas D Maurer